Málaga walking tour & city guide

The historic center

Calle Larios, Málaga's elegant marble-paved shopping street, leads from the port to the Plaza de la Constitución. Around it, narrow lanes hide tapas bars, churches and squares. The cathedral is nicknamed 'La Manquita', the one-armed lady, because its second tower was never finished.

Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga in 1881. The Picasso Museum, in a Renaissance palace, displays works from throughout his career, and his birthplace on Plaza de la Merced is also a museum.

Alcazaba and Gibralfaro

Above the old town, the Alcazaba is an 11th-century Moorish palace-fortress with courtyards, fountains and gardens, built next to a Roman theater that was rediscovered in 1951. A steep path or bus continues up to the Castillo de Gibralfaro, whose walls offer panoramic views over the city, the bullring and the sea.

The redeveloped port area, Muelle Uno, has a seaside promenade with shops, restaurants and the colorful glass cube of the Centre Pompidou Málaga.

Beaches and day trips

La Malagueta beach is just minutes from the center, while the old fishing districts of Pedregalejo and El Palo are known for beachfront restaurants grilling sardines on skewers. Ronda, Nerja and the white village of Frigiliana, as well as Granada, are easy trips from Málaga.